The Deep South

On Saturday we went to Busan, the 'San Francisco' of South Korea. The perfect weather and the 300 km/hr KTX made it a fairly easy day trip even with Cate.

I'm still deciding, but at this point I'd have to say it's one of the most beautiful cities I've ever seen. The ride in on the train gives you an idea of how big it is, as a quarter of the trip is spent within the city. The lush mountains blend together with a sea of grey apartment complexes and colorful Korean villas. It's hard to believe we were only a few miles from the Sea of Japan. As soon as we arrived at Busan Station it was apparent the city is far more chaotic than Daegu. It seems absurd that a city of 2.5 million people can seem small, but Daegu's reputation of being conservative and calm finally made sense.
Our first move was to jump on the subway and head for Haeundai Beach, and I was shocked by the appearance and efficiency of the Busan metro. I felt like I had gone back in time 30 years, but apparently we've just been spoiled with the design and modernity of the Deagu subway. After one transfer and 21 stops, we arrived at the beach to spend the afternoon. After spending so much time in Yongsan Dong, the novelty of Asia had begun to wear off, but being at the beach and seeing the sea and the massive, modern buildings reminded us how far we are from home and how amazing this place is. It was especially nice to be able to do that with family.
Speaking of Carmen's parents, I think they've been enjoying themselves. We've most certainly enjoyed having them. Not only has it been a pleasure to show them around, but it's been nice to just visit and finally have them here to share what our life has been like. It's going to be awfully hard to see them go in four days, especially for Cate. But it emphasizes the importance of family and makes us realize, just in case we forget, how important that is to us.